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Development and construct validation of the Korean competence scale (KCS)
Chang-Wan Han1, Yuki Yajima, Eun-Joo Lee
1Department of Internal Medicine and Rehabilitation Science, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine
|August 7, 2004
Summary
A new Korean Competence Scale (KCS) was developed for older adults, measuring functional abilities beyond daily living activities. This scale demonstrates strong construct validity, supporting its use in assessing older Korean adults' independence.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychometrics
- Sociology of Aging
Background:
- Assessing functional competence in older adults is crucial for maintaining independence.
- Existing measures may not fully capture the multifaceted nature of competence in older populations.
- A specific need exists for a culturally relevant tool for Korean older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate the construct validity of a comprehensive Korean Competence Scale (KCS).
- To assess higher-level functional competence necessary for home and community independence in Korean older adults.
- To examine the internal structure and factor solution of the KCS.
Main Methods:
- Development of the Korean Competence Scale (KCS).
- Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) on a Korean elderly sample to identify underlying domains.
- Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) on a second Korean elderly sample to validate the scale's structure.
Main Results:
- EFA revealed a three-factor structure: instrumental self-maintenance, intellectual activity, and social role.
- CFA supported a second-order factor model, confirming the proposed structure.
- The KCS demonstrated evidence of construct validity for assessing functional competence in older Korean adults.
Conclusions:
- The Korean Competence Scale (KCS) is a valid instrument for measuring functional competence in older Korean adults.
- The identified domains (instrumental self-maintenance, intellectual activity, social role) are key components of competence.
- Findings support the KCS's utility in research and clinical practice concerning aging in Korea, with implications for factorial invariance studies.